Indiana’s ‘Turn In A Poacher’ Program

First of all, let’s be clear; whoever shot the whooping crane in Jackson County is not a hunter. They are a poacher. Maybe they hunt legally during other times of the year, but the moment they crossed the line and pulled the trigger on a protected animal, they went from being a hunter to a poacher. So if you hear anyone say the endangered crane was killed by a hunter, please correct them.

Indiana’s Turn In a Poacher program, which is a joint collaboration between the DNR and the general public used to report and ultimately limit game law violations, has established a special reward fund for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing the whooping crane, “Bird 605,” found dead December 30 in southeastern Jackson County near Crothersville.

Whooping cranes are protected by the Endangered Species Act, the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and state laws. In the 1940s, there were only a few dozen left. Today, we have an estimated population of about 500 in the wild. Obviously, with so few whooping cranes alive, each one is a valuable piece of the repopulation puzzle.

TIP launched the Whooping Crane Fund with a $2,500 commitment, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service immediately matched it with a $2,500 donation. The Humane Society of the United States and its Humane Society Wildlife Trust Fund also added $2,500. Turning in a poacher is something you should be proud to do for free, but hey we all have bills, and $7,500 would sure help.

“Whether the shooting was accidental or not, responsible sportsmen and women of Indiana will not tolerate the thoughtless killing of a protected species,” said Doug Featherston, a TIP board member and representative of Indiana Quail Unlimited. “The TIP Citizens Advisory Board has unanimously decided to offer a reward 10 times the normal amount to motivate citizens to come forward with any information that will lead to the quick arrest and expeditious prosecution of the perpetrator.”

Whooping cranes are the largest bird in North America, standing over five feet tall. They are beautiful sight to behold, and their possible extinction is unthinkable.

“The loss of whooping crane No. 605 is another blow to the reintroduction program in that this individual bird was an adult with more than five years of life experience flying the same migration path,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wetland bird biologist Bob Russell. “We have lost, in essence, a teacher and mentor for young fledglings. Wildlife crimes such as this undo years of time, energy, and private fund-raising efforts on the part of many partners. Our law enforcement agents will work in conjunction with our state counterparts to fully investigate this case.”

Two years ago, a whooping crane was shot and killed in Vermillion County. A reward fund was established, and a citizen’s tip led to the arrest and conviction of two individuals who were responsible. The reward fund for Bird 605 has been established with Indiana Members Credit Union. Contributions can be made by sending a check payable to Indiana Whooping Crane Fund, c/o Lt. William Browne, DNR Law Enforcement, 402 West Washington Street, Room W255-D, Indianapolis, IN, 46204.